Petunia plant named ‘Sunpetu 761’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Sunpetu 761’, characterized by its mounding and trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; flowers that are white in color with a red purple-colored cordate-shaped pattern; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia x hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNPETU 761’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia x hybrida and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Sunpetu 761’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new vigorous, trailing andfreely-flowering Petunia plants with attractive flower colors andpatterns.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2013 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietaryselection of Petunia x hybrida identified as code number MP24-125-2, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPetunia x hybrida identified as code number MP25-125-2, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environmentin Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in July, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan since January, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this newPetunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunpetu 761’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunpetu 761’ as a new and distinct Petuniaplant:

-   -   1. Mounding and trailing plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Flowers that are white in color with a red purple-colored        cordate-shaped pattern.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Petuniahave white-colored flowers with a red purple-colored cordate patternwhereas plants of the female parent selection have white-colored flowerswith a purple-colored picotee pattern.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Petunia havewhite-colored flowers with a red purple-colored cordate pattern whereasplants of the male parent selection have white-colored flowers with alight pink-colored cordate pattern.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petuniax hybrida ‘Sunmomoheart’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,290. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunmomoheart’differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more trailing than and not as        mounding as plants of ‘Sunmomoheart’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia are broader than plants of        ‘Sunmomoheart’.    -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Petunia are darker green than        leaves of plants of ‘Sunmomoheart’.    -   4. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Sunmomoheart’.    -   5. Flower petals of plants of the new Petunia are broader than        flower petals of plants of ‘Sunmomoheart’.    -   6. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia have a larger cordate        pattern than flowers of plants of ‘Sunmomoheart’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) is a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunpetu 761’ grown ina container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) is a close-upview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunpetu 761’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring in 24-cm containersin an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Petunia production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were six months old when thephotographs and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia x hybrida ‘Sunpetu 761’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia x            hybrida identified as code number MP24-125-2not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia x            hybrida identified as code number MP25-125-2, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at            temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to            20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual            color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,            water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate            temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Mounding and trailing plant            habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch            development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 73 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 19.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.3 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.        -   Aspect.—Mostly outwardly.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent, rough and viscid.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—About twelve leaves per lateral            branch; alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 3.4 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent, rough and            viscid.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137D.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A; venation,            close to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137C; venation, close to 144A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1.9 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent, rough. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single-type salverform flowers            arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            usually about six flowers developing per lateral branch and            about 204 flowers developing per plant during the flowering            season; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants of            the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to            four weeks after planting; long flowering period, flowering            commences naturally during the spring and plants flower            continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in            Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.6 cm. Diameter: About 7.2 mm.            Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 149D; towards the apex,            close to 68C and venation, close to 145C.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.        -   Flower height.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 3 mm.        -   Flower tube diameter, distally.—About 1 cm.        -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl,            fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal            length from throat: About 1.75 cm. Petal width: About            2.4 cm. Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex:            Cuspidate. Petal margin: Entire; moderately undulate. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:            Pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Main            color, close to NN155C; cordate pattern, close to 63C.            Petal, when opening, lower surface: Main color, close to            NN155C; cordate pattern, close to 62C. Petal, fully opened,            upper surface: Main color, close to NN155C; cordate pattern,            close to 63B; venation, close to 140C; colors do not change            with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Main            color, close to NN155D; cordate pattern, close to 62C;            venation is faintly visible, close to 145C to 145D; colors            do not change with development. Throat: Distally, close to            150D; center, close to 145D; proximally, close to 145C;            venation is faintly visible, close to 145D. Tube: Distally,            close to 150D; center, close to 149D; proximally, close to            145C; venation is faintly visible, close to 145C.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx tube with five sepals            arranged in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal            length: About 9.5 mm. Sepal width: About 2.5 mm. Sepal            shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire.            Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,            upper surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower surface: Close to            137D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Upright to outwardly.            Texture: Pubescent, rough and viscid. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 1.7 cm. Filament color: Close to            150D. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 2 mm by            2.1 mm. Anther color: Close to 158C. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: Close to NN155A. Pistils: Quantity            per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Style color:            Close to 144B. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal.            Stigma color: Close to 145A. Ovary color: Close to 145B.            Seeds and fruits: To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Petunia have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Petunia plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sunpetu 761’as illustrated and described.